England

RWE and SSE awarded 500MW offshore tender

UK: RWE Npower and Scottish Southern Electricity have been given approval by the Crown Estate to develop a 500MW offshore development off the coast of Suffolk in southern England.

A turbine being serviced at the neighbouring Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm

The proposed wind farm will be titled Galloper Wind Farm and situated in waters with a depth of around 40metres. The areas were put out to tender as part of the ‘round 1&2' process last year.

The project will go to the Infrastructure Planning Commission, an independent body responsible for the approval of projects forming part of the UK's infrastructure. A decision is expected in 2012.

It will be located 30km off the coast and will be adjacent to the 500MW Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm that is expected to come online in 2012. A grid connection to the area was secured in 2009.

Speaking about the deal RWE Innogy CEO Paul Coffey said: "The opportunity to develop a wind farm close to the Greater Gabbard Offshore Wind Farm site has a number of advantages.

"We know that it is an excellent site for a wind farm, there is already the necessary infrastructure in place and, if consented, one can benefit from the long-term operational and maintenance activities due to the close proximity of the two wind farms."